My Biz: Pet store offers all-natural food and treats
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By Katie Mills Giorgio, correspondent
November 19, 2014 | 8:00 pm
MOUNT VERNON — Diana Crowley is one of those dog owners who gets weepy just talking about her pet.
Crowley adopted her dog Zoe — a chocolate lab, Chesapeake Bay retriever mix — nine years ago while living in California. “She’s the love of my life,” Crowley said.
Zoe also happens to be the inspiration behind Crowley’s latest pet project, a pet supply store.
Crowley opened Zoe’s Pet Deli in June of this year to capture a small part of the county’s nearly $60 billion pet industry.
The shop, in the First Street Community Center in Mount Vernon, is the perfect spot for owners and their pets to stop in and stock up on food, treats and other pet essentials.
Crowley said she especially loves when owners bring their dogs or cats in with them to shop, as she loves giving them free treats.
The products available at Zoe’s Pet Deli are all natural, Crowley said. She sells food, treats, vitamins and food bowls for dogs and cats as well as art work and collars made by local artists.
Crowley grew up in Mount Vernon but lived in Colorado and California for more than 10 years where she learned about healthy eating, both for herself and animals.
“Natural food is important for everyone,” she said. “You are what you eat and the same is true for dogs and cats.”
While she has degrees in marketing and advertising, Crowley said she always enjoyed her time working at small, locally owned pet shops. She dreamed of opening her own store, she said, and was finally able to do that when she moved back to Mount Vernon a few years ago.
“Mount Vernon is a town that is good about supporting local businesses,” she said. “And it was affordable for me to start this here. The overhead is much lower than if I’d tried this in Colorado or California.”
She still is new on the pet supply store scene, Crowley hopes the business continues to grow. Over the past few months, she has worked on developing a product list of items her customers want and need.
She also plans to host a variety of events and support other local organizations through her store. For example, she’ll offer a pet photo shoot on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 29, where customers can get their photo taken with their pet and take home a free 5 x7 print.
“I want to do stuff advertising wise that helps others,” she said. “I’m so passionate about this. I feel good when I’m here and it certainly doesn’t feel like work.”
At A Glance
• Name: Diana Crowley
• Title: Owner
• Company: Zoe’s Pet Deli
• Address: 221 First St., Mount Vernon
• Phone: (619) 989-4830
• Website: www.zoespetdeli.com
Know a manager or company in business for more than a year that would be ideal for “My Biz”? Contact Chelsea Keenan at chelsea.keenan@thegazette.com

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My Biz: Pet store offers all-natural food and treats